


Ms. Believer

by lawpet



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Crown Snowfield | Crown Tundra (Pokemon), F/M, Falling In Love, First Kiss, First Meetings, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Legendary Pokemon, Pokemon Sword & Shield Expansion Pass: The Crown Tundra, References to Depression, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-10
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:33:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27485068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lawpet/pseuds/lawpet
Summary: The way he spoke was odd, as though he was chatting with a long time friend instead of someone he literally just met. There was an air of confidence around him that put me on edge, like he knew he'd get his way no matter what happened.I didn't like it, not one bit.***Welcome to my newest reader insert story! To preface, this story is set in the Crown Tundra, part of the new Sword and Shield expansion pack. This story won't give too much away story wise, since it's mainly focusing on the Leon x Reader relationship.  Honestly it won't spoil the game any worse than if you were to scroll through twitter lol. But I just wanted to give a heads up just in case someone planned to play the expansion pack and my story accidentally ruined that experience.Okay, that's all. Love you!
Relationships: Dande | Leon/Reader
Comments: 25
Kudos: 77





	1. Snowflakes

_ Mom, _

_ I don't know why I keep writing you. _

_ Maybe it's because you don't feel as far away whenever I write these letters. It's the same childish feeling of hope I'd get when writing a letter to Santa Claus; I knew that I'd never get a response, but I still checked the mailbox every day just in case. _

_ It's snowing again today, not like that's surprising. I can't remember the last time I saw the sun, but I can't say I mind. The snow is comforting like someone took a down comforter and laid it out over the ground. The constant darkness brought by the overcast sky helps me not feel so bad for lying in bed all day. I mean, who would feel motivated to do anything with such rubbish weather? _

_ Anyway, I'm sitting on the kitchen windowsill, you know the one. It's the big one, where Dad always used to stand while he drank his coffee. I was watching the snowfall, and it got me thinking. I see more snowflakes than people these days, and I've started to take note of all the small intricacies between each flake. You see, no two snowflakes are exactly alike. Each one falls from the sky as it's own unique individual with no set course or purpose, just a lazy free fall down to Earth. _

_ And what a descent it is! _

_ Every day I try to imagine the incomprehensible freedom of drifting through the crisp winter air, letting the breeze carry me wherever it sees fit. Maybe I'd bump into another snowflake on the way down, the rough edges of our designs catching onto one another, changing our courses by a random act of fate. _

_ People are a lot like snowflakes, I think. _

_ * _

The sound of the front door swinging open didn't disturb me, but the frigid gust of air that followed caused me to grumpily turn my attention away from my journal to scold whoever was letting all the snow in. My anger softened when I realized who my unannounced visitor was. It was none other than my grandpa, or as I call him, Papa.

Papa stomped his boots on the welcome mat while peeling his damp gloves from his fingertips, "Good news," his voice was muffled by the scarf wrapped around his neck, "Brandy has just informed me that a group of tourists has arrived at the station!"

I'd already been making my way towards him while he spoke, acting on autopilot as I snagged his house slippers from the shoe rack and set them on the ground for him. Papa thanked me as he slipped his sock-clad feet into the well-worn moccasins.

If you told any other townsperson that we had tourists, they'd probably be just as excited as my grandpa. They'd clamber over themselves to prepare whatever goods they had lying around, doing their best to make a five-year-old jar of honey marketable. One of the citizens even started making Freezington branded T-Shirts and sweaters to sell, even though most were so old that the print was faded and the fabric had been chewed through by Dustox. But it's been years since we last had a steady stream of tourists, so they would capitalize on every opportunity they have.

You may be asking yourself,  _ what do you mean it's been years since any tourists have visited your town? That sounds outrageous! _

The truth is that Freezington used to be a hub for Pokémon trainers and researchers alike. The town sits right above the Crown Tundra, a vast wild area teeming with all sorts of rare species of Pokémon, making it a Pokémon enthusiast's dream destination. Outside of Pokémon, Freezington was known for its world-famous produce. The soil was so rich with nutrients that it was rumored that any crop that grows here held magical properties. Carrots that could drastically boost your Pokémon's stamina with one bite, berries that could cure anything from the common cold to influenza. For these reasons, the town had a constant influx of visitors, money was never scarce, and the people of Freezington always had smiles on their faces.

But that all changed a few decades ago when the King of Bountiful Harvests abandoned us.

"Are you sure it's not a false alarm? No offense, but remember the last time Brandy swore we had visitors?" I asked, my tone dripping with skepticism. My grandpa was now shuffling his way into my kitchen, presumably to help himself to a cup of hot chocolate. He shook his head and chuckled, "that poor Audino had no idea what it had just stumbled into."

"Exactly," I huffed, pulling out one of the old wooden chairs from the kitchen table and taking a seat. Papa clucked his tongue at me, "now, now. What's with the attitude, hm? Having visitors is wonderful for the town! You should be thrilled even if it is a false alarm."

"I don't have an attitude," I lied, "I just don't trust Brandy sometimes."

I was only half-lying. Brandy was one of the town's oldest residents, even older than my grandfather. Despite her age, she'd still walk up to the train station every day and wait for possible visitors. It felt like every few days she was rushing down the hillside, shouting to the other townsfolk to  _ 'dust off those tooshies, we have visitors!' _

The only time she'd been right was when Peony came to town with his crabby daughter, Nia. It was exciting to have new faces around at first, but it's been over a year now, and they haven't shown any signs of leaving. Peony seems dead set on trying to track down the King of Bountiful Harvests while Nia spends all of her free time in the wild area, only coming back to Freezington to have me heal her Pokémon- which leads me to my other point of contention.

Freezington doesn't have an actual Poké Center with nurses on staff to heal Pokémon; instead, they have me. I've never been formally trained, my only education coming from the few books my grandfather has in his study. Seeing that I was young enough to learn and old enough to be trusted, the town elected me as their nurse; for people and Pokémon alike.

The only regular visitors we get anymore are young, cocky Pokémon trainers who think they can get a leg up by training their teams here. What they don't realize is that the Pokémon here are genuinely  _ wild.  _ The locals never venture into the wild area, so the Pokémon are entirely undomesticated. They don't understand the rules of a Pokémon battle, and they definitely won't hold back against a tiny little Scorbunny that's been nipping at their heel. I can't tell you how many mangled Pokémon I've held in my arms as they slip away due to a trainer's negligence. I can't even tell you how many kids have set out into the wild area, only to never be heard from again.

If Brandy's right and we do have visitors, I pray that they're not here to train. I don't know if my heart can take it.

Papa set a mug of steaming hot chocolate in front of me, pulling me out of my downward spiral. I thanked him and wrapped my fingers around the warm ceramic mug, letting myself be comforted by the feeling. The only sounds in the kitchen now were the faint crackle of the fireplace from the living room and the whistle of air from my grandpa as he blew on his hot chocolate in an attempt to cool it down. I watched the plumes of steam rise from my mug, sensing that this conversation wasn't quite over yet. There was tension lingering in the air like he had more he wanted to say. Luckily, I didn't have to wait long for a resolution.

"When you're done with your drink, you and Lucario should head over to the guest lodge and welcome our visitors," my grandpa suggested, punctuating his statement with a sip of his hot chocolate. At the sound of his name, Lucario poked his head up from where he'd been napping on the couch, looking between us expectantly. I was too dumbfounded to respond at first but quickly reigned in my emotions to not come off as disrespectful.

"Why me? Don't you usually do the welcoming?" I asked, "since you're the mayor and all."

My grandfather set his now empty mug down, wiping the liquid from his mustache with the back of his hand, "normally I would, yes. But I'm afraid I won't be available today."

I flicked my eyes down at the empty mug, a little impressed by how fast he drank the hot beverage. I brought my own cup to my lips, asking my question before taking a sip, "what's so different about today?"

Papa tapped his fingers against the side of his mug for a moment, like he was deliberating how he wanted to phrase his answer. Finally, he spoke, but he made it an obvious point not to look me in the eye, "I'm headed out into the wild area with Peony today-"

"No, absolutely not." I interrupted, panic already seeping into my veins at the suggestion. Images of my poor, defenseless grandfather being swarmed by hoards of wild Pokémon raced through my mind. I would never know what happened to him if he never came back. Just like-

My grandpa reached out across the table, taking one of my hands into his own and giving it a reassuring squeeze. I snapped out of my mini panic attack, the feeling of his calloused palm against my skin grounding me. There was a lump in my throat now as my brain tried desperately to think of ways to convince him to stay.

"(Y/n), I know you're scared, but it's my duty as a leader to take this risk. Our town will die if we stay here. The soils no good," he stayed firmly, "We can barely grow enough food to feed ourselves, let alone make a sustainable profit."

He was right; he's always right. He's the greatest leader our town has ever known, but at the end of the day, he's my family, and I was terrified of losing him. Papa slipped his hand from mine and stood up, depositing his mug in the sink before heading towards the door. I take it that means there's no more room for conversation. He stopped to give Lucario a loving scratch behind the ear, murmuring, "you take good care of her while I'm gone, okay, buddy?"

Lucario nodded and held one paw across his chest, pledging in his own silent way that he'd do everything in his power to keep me safe. I chewed the inside of my cheek as I stood to follow Papa to the door; the pain helped to anchor my mind in the present. I couldn't allow myself to obsess over the "what if's," especially when the person in question has no intention of listening to my side of the argument.

"Now then," Papa started, slipping his moccasins off and sliding his boots on instead, "don't forget to smile when you go to greet the visitors. We want them to feel welcome, so none of your usual gloom. Got it?"

"Got it," I grumbled. As far as I'm concerned, these visitors are about as welcome as a Bewear in a Combee hive. I was dreading this meeting already, knowing that I would have to force a smile while my only family risked his life in the wild area. Papa tugged his gloves on, cringing slightly at the damp material.

"Right," he stated, draping his scarf around his neck once more, "I'll be back before you know it!" 

"I love you." I croaked, the words forcing themselves out even though it felt like my throat was closing in on itself.

"I love you too, kiddo."

Papa pulled his scarf up over his mouth and opened the door, disappearing into the flurry outside. I forcefully swiped a few stray tears away. I had to shove down those feelings for now. What kind of welcome party shows up with a runny nose and puffy eyes?

I took a deep breath, exhaling loudly as I looked over my shoulder at Lucario.

"Let's get this over with, shall we?"


	2. First Impressions

I stood on the porch of the guest lodge, pinching my cheeks in an attempt to bring color back into them. There was a warm, yellow glow coming from the windows, telling me that Brandy wasn't lying after all. I smoothed my coat for the millionth time, smacked my cheeks twice, and forced a big toothy grin. I presented myself to Lucario, "how do I look?"

**_ Bad,  _ ** Lucario responded telepathically. My smile dropped, "thanks, buddy."

I toned down my smile and cracked my knuckles, gathering up my courage to knock on the door. I must have taken too long because Lucario took it upon himself to knock twice on the door with the metal spike that protruded from the back of his paw. I didn't even have time to scold him because the door flung open right away, revealing the beaming face of a teenage boy. I fixed a strained smile to my face as my heart dropped.

_ Oh, Arceus, not another kid. _

"I thought you'd never knock! We were watchin' you from the window for the longest! Is that a Lucario?" The teenager blurted, his bright golden eyes examining my companion with fervor. The burning heat of embarrassment rushed to my cheeks as I stood frozen, realizing that they'd witnessed my entire pep-talk that I thought I was having in private. I was immediately torn between wanting to run away and fulfilling my promise to Papa.

"Hop you moron, you can't just say that to people," a soft girl's voice called from somewhere in the cabin. Hop, the moron in question, rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. He was a peculiar looking kid, not the type we saw around here often. His hair was a shaggy mess of royal purple, and his eyes were intensely gold, reminding me of raw honey. He was wearing skinny black jeans and a wool-lined jean jacket, a far departure from the usual heavy winter clothes that the locals wore around here.

**_ Funny,  _ ** Lucario's voice interrupted telepathically. I glanced at him in the corner of my eye, seeing his eyes trained on the teenage boy. I guess Lucario thinks the boy is funny. I cleared my throat, defaulting to the script I had rehearsed in my head on the way here, "Hi, my name's (Y/n). I'm the town's nurse. I wanted to stop by and properly welcome you to Freezington!"

The girl I'd heard earlier was now standing on the boy's left side, peering at me with chocolate eyes that were way too old and wise for the childish face they were set in. She had chestnut brown hair that stopped just above her shoulder, though most of it was hidden under a pink winter hat. She was dressed oddly as well, sporting a matching pink dress and patterned stockings. Hop opened the door wider, gesturing for me to come in, "nice to meet you, (Y/n). Come in! We were just puttin' ona cuppa."

I wanted to decline and hurry back to my cabin, immediately intimidated by the genuine friendliness radiating from the two teenagers, but I knew that my job here wasn't done. Whenever Papa would do this little 'Welcome to Freezington' thing, he would be at the guest lodge for hours answering questions and sharing stories. If I wanted to make him proud, then I'd have to be a little more hospitable. I accepted politely, a tight smile on my face as I entered the lodge.

The guest lodge was huge since it had served as a proper motel at one point in time. There were two floors, ten rooms on the first floor and ten on the second floor; twenty in total. Nowadays, we only get one or two guests at a time, so most of the rooms have remained undisturbed for years. The common area was as big as my cabin, boasting three full-sized couches, two recliners, and a few end tables that are staged in a half-circle in front of the fireplace.

There were a few Pokemon milling about, a Cinderace standing in the middle of the common area, juggling a soccer ball between its feet while an unimpressed Intelleon watches from it's seat on the floor. A deep rumbling snore sounds from the far right corner, where a Charizard snoozes peacefully near the crackling fire. Its eye cracked open for a moment to scan the area for any threats, lingering on Lucario for a moment before puffing out a cloud of smoke through its nose and going back to sleep.

The girl leads me towards one of the couches while Hop turns right to go into the kitchen. A cloud of dust puffs up from the fabric when I sit down. I have to forcefully hold back my sneeze as I waft the dust away from myself. The Cinderace has stopped juggling his ball in favor of observing Lucario and me; it's crimson eyes flicking between us and the kitchen. Lucario looms tensely behind me, daring any of the unfamiliar Pokémon to make a move.

"Don't worry about Cinderace. He's harmless," the girl reassured smoothly, "he's always this antsy around new people."

I nodded, although I was still on edge because of the tension radiating off of Lucario. I turned my gaze towards him, patting a hand on his arm, "ease up, would you? We're here to make them feel welcome, not chase them away."

Lucario relaxed at my touch, easing into a less threatening stance but still insisting on hovering close to me. Whatever makes him comfortable, I guess. The girl giggled, "he's a tense one, is he?"

"You have no idea," I sighed, "he was just as protective as a Riolu if you can believe that."

Hop reentered the room, balancing a tray of tea precariously on his forearm. He held the tray out to me, and I picked a cup, thanking him even though I wasn't planning on drinking it. The girl plucked her cup from the tray as Hop passed by, leaving two cups on the platter. That was odd; there were only three of us here. Perhaps one of the Pokemon had a craving for tea?

"Are Riolu native to the area?" the girl asked, blowing gently on her beverage. Hop, who had been in the process of setting the tea tray down on a nearby end table, perked up at the mention of Pokémon.

"Ah, no," I answered lamely, "I received an egg as a gift, but no one knew what type of Pokemon would hatch. Imagine our surprise when a Riolu jumped out."

Hop did nothing to hide his obvious disappointment as he set the tray down and flopped into one of the recliners. Cinderace trilled at that, punting his soccer ball towards Hop. The teen caught the ball easily as if this was a daily occurrence. He sighed, "damn, I was hoping to catch one."

"So are you two trainers?" I asked conversationally, even though Hop's statement had just settled like a ton of bricks in my stomach. If they were here to catch Pokémon, then I was about to be very busy for the duration of their stay. The two teens looked at me like I'd just grown a second head. That blush began to creep up on my cheeks again, "what is it?"

"Mate, are you taking the piss right now?" Hop asked, his brows pinched in genuine concern. I looked between the two of them again, shaking my head slowly, "No, should I be?"

"Gloria here is the newest Champion of the Galar Region!" Hop exclaimed, gesturing proudly to the girl sat on the couch with me before turning the praise on himself, "And  _ I'm  _ her number one rival."

I ran the words through my head a few times, trying to decipher what they could possibly mean. Did Galar usually have a Champion? If so, why hadn't I heard of them? I voiced my confusion to the teenagers, "What's a Champion?"

Hop was gobsmacked, nearly dropping his tea in his lap as he processed what I'd just said. Even Gloria, with her much calmer personality, seemed utterly at a loss for words. Had I just offended them? I could hear almost hear Papa's voice scolding me for being such an arse. Thankfully, Gloria collected herself quicker than Hop had, her eyebrows furrowed as she thought of where even to start her questions.

"Do you not have tele here? Or even get the news on your phone?" She asked in the most polite way she could. Still, I couldn't help but feel slightly insulted. It was like their entire demeanor changed due to my lack of knowledge on this subject. I shook my head, "we don't get strong enough reception out here, so most people don't even bother."

"S'pose it's no use asking you for the wifi password then," Hop grumbled.

"What's wifi?" I asked innocently. Hop did drop his tea this time, exclaiming profanities as he rushed to the kitchen to get a wet rag to wipe himself down with. Gloria, bless her, took my curiosity in stride, "it's wireless internet, you know, so you can stream videos and use social media on your phone."

"Oh, cool," I responded, pretending like I completely understood what they were talking about even though I was still lost. Gloria could see through my ruse, "it's okay. It's all rubbish anyway. We're out here on holiday to try and unplug from it all."

I didn't quite get the term 'unplug,' but I could use context clues to take it she meant they were here to get off their phones for a while. Was everyone in the city attached to their screens or something? I mentally pushed the internet conundrum from my mind, focusing on the Champion thing instead, "so is being the Champion a big deal then?"

Gloria smiled shyly, "I suppose it is. Some people want to be Champion for fame and fortune, but I wear the title like a badge of honor. I wouldn't have gotten here if it weren't for all the hard work my team and I put in."

"That's pretty admirable," I smiled, "but forgive me, what does the Champion  _ do? _ "

Gloria exhaled a short laugh, "I'm still figuring that out for myself, honestly."

I was about to continue my interrogation when there was a commotion coming from the kitchen area. There was a deep voice speaking now, one that didn't belong to either Hop or Gloria, "what's gotten into you, mate? You piss yourself?"

"Bugger off, would ya Lee? This whole trip has gone to pot. Rubbish." Hop whined. The voice responded, "what are you on about?"

"They don't even know what wifi  _ is _ , Lee," Hop whispered. I use the term whisper loosely, though, because Gloria and I heard every word as clear as day. Hot shame began to rise in my stomach, making the bile in my stomach slosh uncomfortably. I'd only been here for ten minutes, and I've already managed to offend our guests  _ and  _ ruin their holiday.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to ruin your trip," I apologized. Gloria gasped in shock before setting a firm hand on my knee, "don't you dare apologize. You haven't ruined anything. Hop is just a  ** child. ** "

She emphasized the last word, making it loud enough to carry to the kitchen. Three tense seconds passed before the sound of footsteps could be heard, making their way towards the living room. Hop emerged first with an embarrassed smile on his face, followed by the owner of the deep voice.

The first thing I noticed about the man was that he bore a striking resemblance to Hop. Either they were related, or it was just an insane coincidence that they happened to know one another. He looked to be a good foot taller than Hop, with a broad and muscular build. His hair was wet (possibly he'd just taken a shower?), but I could still tell that it was the same shade of purple as Hops. Two sets of gold eyes stared back at me, one out of shame and the other out of curiosity. I fought the urge to squirm in my seat, occupying myself by trying to figure out the relation between the two. The man appeared to be much older than Hop, so perhaps that's his father? That seemed like a safe bet. 

"I apologize for Hop's asinine behavior," the man spoke, "you know how kids are these days. Can't go a minute without their phones."

The way he spoke was odd, as though he was chatting with a long time friend instead of someone he literally just met. There was an air of confidence around him that put me on edge, like he knew he'd get his way no matter what happened. I didn't like it, not one bit.

**_ Threat. _ **

A cold sweat broke out at the nape of my neck; my heart rate spiking immediately at Lucario's assessment. If he saw this man as a threat, then I had every right to be scared. What I initially thought was curiosity in his eyes suddenly morphed into judgment. I cleared my throat and stood up, "yes, of course. Thank you for your hospitality. I hope you and your children can still find something to do despite there being no  _ wifi _ ."

Hop cringed slightly at my sharp tone, but I barely paid it any mind. Leaving a good impression was the furthest thing from my mind at the moment. I no longer felt safe here; I needed to get as far away from this strange group of people as possible. If there's one thing I knew for sure, it's that the best way to put space between yourself and others is to be cold and distant. No one wants to be around the human embodiment of storm clouds. I set my now cold cup of tea down on the tea tray, smoothing out my jacket as I straightened out. I held my chin high as I addressed the room, "you all have a goodnight. Welcome to Freezington."

I spun on my heel, gritting my teeth as I felt three sets of eyes pierce the back of my skull. I quickly made my way towards the door, calling sternly over my shoulder, "come, Lucario."

I didn't need to look behind me to know that he was right in my heels, obedient to a fault. I barely registered their voices as I crossed the threshold.

"Way to go, Hop," Gloria admonished.

"Did she just call us your kids?" Hop questioned.

I didn't stick around to hear the answer to that question. The front door slammed shut behind me, and I felt terrible for a moment because I hadn't meant to slam it. But then I realized that it would just add to the illusion of my 'cold and distant' personality, so I let it be. Shoving my hands deeper into my coat pocket, I began my trek back home.

I drew in a deep breath, pulling the frigid air deep into my lungs. It was the perfect remedy for the boiling pot of emotion in my chest, bringing my heart rate back down to its usual tempo. I felt safer now, hidden from those prying eyes by the dark cloud cover. The sound of the snow crunching beneath my boots was cathartic, a familiar rhythm that I'd listened to every day of life. When I came to the center of town, I paused. It was late in the afternoon now, close to dinner time for most folks. Plumes of chimney smoke rose from each family home, joining the endless sea of grey above. It was eerily quiet, the only sound being the passive flow of air in my lungs. I exhaled heavily, watching a puff of condensation leave my body and dissipate immediately. 

**_ Home? _ **

I swallowed thickly, looking to my right to see Lucario staring back at me, his head tilted to one side cutely. A warm smile wormed it's way onto my lips, chasing away the remainder of the tension in my chest. 

"Yeah, let's go home."


	3. Sweet Dreams

_Knock!_

_Knock!_

_Knock!_

"Papa?" I slurred, rubbing at my eyes with the palms of my hands. I must've dozed off on the couch at some point because the last thing I remember was sitting down with a book to wait for him after I got back from the catastrophe at the guest lodge. I don't know how long I was asleep, but seeing that my once roaring fire was now reduced to ash, I'd say it's been a few hours. A yawn took hold of my body as I stretched my arms above my head. The joints in my shoulders popped loudly, making me cringe. I always felt so old when that happened.

_Knock...knock._

The knocks were timider now. It hadn't dawned on my sleep-addled brain that I was taking entirely too long to answer the door. A small voice in the back of my mind commented on how Papa never knocks, but I pushed that thought away. Who else could it possibly be at this hour?

"Come in!" I called, standing from the couch to get his moccasins ready. An unsure voice responded, "are you- are you sure?"

I recognized the voice immediately; it was Hop's dad. My blood ran cold, and I kicked myself for being so careless. Had I kept my mouth shut, I could've pretended to be asleep, and maybe then he would've left.

"Fuck me," I whispered. I dropped the moccasins on the ground and tip-toed to the door. I risked a peek through the peep-hole, seeing the warped vision of a man standing awkwardly on my doorstep. If I hadn't heard his voice, I probably wouldn't have recognized him. He was wearing a white hoodie with a black overcoat. The hood was pulled tightly over his head, hiding the mess of purple hair that would typically give him away. It looked like he'd left in a hurry because he'd haphazardly tucked the bottoms of his sweatpants into a pair of un-tied snow boots. He shifted his weight from side to side anxiously, like he didn't know what to do next. It suddenly struck me that he was waiting for an answer, "h-hold on, just a minute!"

I turned away from the door, snatching a blanket from my couch and draping it over my shoulders. I didn't lose the irony of the blanket being pink and fuzzy, but I didn't feel like fussing with my coat at the moment. I can like the color pink and still be intimidating.

"Psst, Lucario!" I hissed. My companion lifted his head from his bed in the corner of the room, looking me over with a cautious expression. I felt bad for waking him, but I'd be damned if I was going to open my door to a stranger without some backup. "Watch my back, okay?"

Lucario nodded sternly, sitting up to get a better view. I dashed back to my door on the balls of my feet, taking a deep breath and quickly turning the handle before I could lose my nerve. With Lucario’s previous warning in mind, I schooled my face into a mask of intimidation, trying my best to seem unbothered by his presence. But once I opened the door and got a proper look at him, I couldn’t help but feel rather silly. His entire demeanor was different now; gone were the bravado and sickening confidence. Instead, he more resembled his son now, all sorts of awkward and embarrassed.

What threat had Lucario seen?

"Yes? Can I help you?" I prodded. He cleared his throat and straightened his back, forcing some of that confidence back into his posture.

"I just wanted to apologize again for my brother's ignorance," he started, his voice lacking all of the cockiness it held earlier. "I didn't realize how much his comment genuinely bothered you and should've handled it better. That's on me."

"It's alright...but, did you just say ‘brother’?" I questioned, my icy exterior beginning to melt at the sincerity of his words. I felt much more at ease around him now that he had dropped some of his swagger. He seemed more...human. The man chuckled, a toothy smile spreading across his face, "yeah, Hop and I are brothers. I don't know whether to be flattered or offended that you thought I was his father."

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean anything, I just assumed-" I babbled. The man shook his head, holding out his hands in a placating gesture, "it's okay! No harm done, promise!"

I sighed and massaged my right temple with my fingertips, "I've done a real crummy job at welcoming you lot to town, haven't I?"

"It's not the worst reception we've ever received," he stated. I know that he probably was trying to offer some form of encouragement, but it had the complete opposite effect. I groaned as I dragged my hand down my face now, cradling my jaw in the palm of my hand. I looked up at the man, my lashes slightly obscuring my vision, "is that all you needed then?"

A light pink blush dusted his cheekbones as he stumbled over his words, "ah, no, actually. I have a few questions I wanted to ask that I didn't get to since, you know, Hop. So I was hoping that maybe we could start over?"

I'm blaming it on the haze of sleep and not on the way my heart stuttered at the way he tripped over his words; because I gave him a rare genuine smile before responding, "Sure, I'd like that. I'm (Y/n)."

A look of surprise crossed his features like he hadn't expected my answer. He overcame his shock quickly, smiling in return as he introduced himself, "Leon. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise," I responded, "would you like to come in for a moment?"

I was surprised by the words that came out of my mouth. It had felt so natural that the gravity of what I'd done hadn't set in until my brain had the chance to process what I'd just said. I've never invited a stranger into my house before, but it was too late to take it back now because Leon was nodding, "sure if you don't mind."

I did mind, very much so.

I stepped back, opening my front door wider and gesturing for Leon to come inside. He stepped over the threshold, slipping his shoes off immediately at the door so he wouldn't track snow into my home.

That was oddly considerate.

Now that Leon was right next to me, I couldn't help but be intimidated by how tall he was. The top of my head only reached his mid-bicep, meaning that I had to crane my neck to make eye contact at this proximity. My thoughts were interrupted by Leon speaking, this time in an overly friendly tone, "Hey buddy, what's up? I'm Leon."

Lucario stood from his bed, eyeing Leon like he was ready to attack at a moment's notice.

 ** _Threat_**.

I shot Lucario a warning look that demanded he stand down. I chuckled breezily, trying to diffuse the situation, "Lucario doesn't take well to strangers. Best to leave him be."

"Right, my bad," Leon apologized.

"Come, let me get you something to drink, and I can answer any questions you may have," I suggested, nodding my head towards my kitchen table. Leon happily obliged, eager to put some space between himself and Lucario's murderous glare. I followed him to the kitchen, mouthing 'be nice' to Lucario as soon as Leon's back was turned. Lucario narrowed his eyes at me for a moment before turning his attention back to Leon. Apparently, he disagreed with my plan of action and elected to ignore me.

By the time I joined Leon in the kitchen, he was already sitting at the table. He pulled his hood down while his eyes wandered around my space. A small part of my brain took note of how his hair was braided back into a set of neat dutch braids, but that thought was quickly squashed.

I suddenly felt self-conscious, realizing that my cabin was probably a shit-hole compared to whatever he's used to. It was small and cluttered; knick-knacks and picture frames taking up residence on every available surface. The walls and floor were made of the same weathered oak, adding to the claustrophobic feeling. Earlier in the night, I'd lit a few candles on the mantle of my fireplace, and I was afraid that the scent of cinnamon might be too overwhelming. My kitchen wasn't anything special, just a tiny room with old, rusty appliances. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that my whole place is outdated, honestly, almost like it was frozen in time. Yet I couldn't bring myself to change anything about it. It would be like severing the last lifeline I had tethered to them.

I had to do something to keep my mind busy, or else I would completely shut down with this stranger in my home. I went to the sink and filled my kettle with water, setting it on the stove before turning to face Leon. I wiped my hands on my pants and exhaled loudly, "so, what's on your mind?"

"Hop tells me you're the town nurse; is that true?" Leon asks, leaning back in his seat and folding his hands over his stomach. I nodded, "Yes, sir. I'm trained for people and Pokémon, so you can come to me if you have any health concerns. I'm almost always here."

Leon nodded, "did you train with the Nurse Joy's?"

I had no idea what he was referring to, but I assumed it was some sort of nursing program where he came from, "something like that."

"Hm," Leon grunted, his eyes tightening just the slightest at my answer. I tampered down my indignation, telling myself that I couldn't lose my cool on the first question. He probably had a right to be wary. Hearing that your nurse is some girl you just met today who's never been professionally trained was probably not the most reassuring thing, especially when she's the only nurse for miles.

"Do I get to ask a question?"

Leon raised one of his eyebrows in interest, "sure; I don't see why not."

"Why are you here?" I asked bluntly. Leon looked slightly taken aback by my question; I might even go as far as to say that he looked offended. I backpedaled before Lucario could pick up on Leon's shift in emotion and come charging in here. "Not that you're unwelcome; it's just that there are so many better places for a holiday."

Leon considered my question for a moment, chewing his words thoroughly before responding, "There's nothing wrong with Freezington," he grumbled. "Plus, Hop was practically foaming at the mouth when he heard about the Crown Tundra."

Of course he was. No young trainer could resist the temptation of open fields of wild Pokemon, just itching for a battle. Now was as good of a time as any to try and talk some sense him. I knew I had to pick my words carefully, or I might shove my entire foot in my mouth.

"The Tundra isn't a good place for young trainers. It's extremely dangerous," I kept my tone stern but let my concern show on my face. Hop wasn't a bad kid. I wouldn't be able to sleep at night, knowing I did nothing to convince his brother to keep him out of the wild area. But something strange seemed to overcome Leon as soon as the words left my mouth.

His eyes were ablaze with intense emotion, the gold coming to life like a match thrown into a puddle of gasoline. I braced myself for a lashing, expecting him to lay into me about how capable his brother is. The yelling never came however, because his only response was, “I know, that’s why we’re here.”

That inhuman confidence was back, trickling its way into his features. His mouth quirked into a cocky smirk, his canine teeth becoming the center of focus in way that sent a shiver down my spine.

 _A shiver of disgust,_ I reminded myself.

“You’re mad,” I squeaked, “you would really subject your little brother to that?”

Surprisingly, Leon laughed. But it wasn’t bitter in the slightest, instead, it had a lilt of pure amusement to it. My confusion intensified the longer he laughed, and finally I couldn’t take it. “What on earth is so funny?”

Leon’s eyes twinkled with mirth as he looked me up and down, “the kids weren’t exaggerating then, you truly have no idea who we are.”

Now it was my turn to be offended again, “listen, people can live very fulfilling lives with being ‘plugged in,’ or however Gloria said it.”

Leon laughed again, but less boisterously this time. I crossed my arms over my chest and waited angrily for him to calm down. Eventually, the laughing subsided and the purple-haired asshole sighed. He leaned forward, propping his right elbow on my dining table before resting his chin in his palm. His eyes bore into mine while he spoke, “I’m not subjecting them to anything, dear. In all honesty, I’m subjecting the wilderness to them.”

I tried to make sense of what he’s just said. Hop and Gloria were so nice, so warm and welcoming. Children. Yet, he spoke as though they were hardened professionals. Like entering the Tundra would be no more challenging to them than a walk through the park. My confusion must’ve been evident on my face, because Leon cut in.

“I can smell smoke from here,” he joked. I glared at him, but he just shrugged it off with a sigh, “look, I love my brother more than life itself. I wouldn’t put him in danger if I knew he couldn’t handle himself. Same goes for Gloria.”

I exhaled, defeated. The kettle had finally come to a boil, but now I wasn’t in the mood for tea. I turned the heat off, “did you want that drink still?”

“No, thank you,” Leon declined, “I was planning on leaving soon anyways. Don’t want Hop to think I’d gotten lost.”

“Do you get lost often?” I asked conversationally while pouring the boiled water down the drain. The steam rose from the sink and tickled my nose. I heard Leon chuckle to himself, “more often than I’d like to admit.”

That’s when it dawned on me that I’d left the lodge before telling any of them where my cabin is. I’d just accepted that Leon somehow knew where I lived since I was so used to everyone in town knowing exactly where to find me. There’s was a knot of curiosity and paranoia growing in my gut, and I knew it would swallow me whole if I didn’t get an answer.

“How did you find my house?” I asked, trying to sound casual. I turned away from the sink so that I could watch Leon’s reaction, as if I’d be able to tell if he was a stalker by the slightest twitch of a muscle. He stiffened for a moment before sheepishly rubbing at the back of his neck, “I guess it does seem kind of creepy for me to just show up, eh?”

“Just a wee bit,” I answered.

“I didn’t follow you home or anything like that,” Leon promised, “but before I tell you, you have to promise not to laugh.”

I eyed him suspiciously, “okay, I promise?”

“I, uh, knocked on every door until I got it right,” he admitted, a charming pink dusting his cheekbones. I meant soft, not charming. Definitely not charming. The image of this tall, awkward, out of place man going around Freezington desperately knocking on doors in the dead of night almost made me laugh, but I’d made a promise. I pursed my lips, nodding my head and looking away from Leon’s pink face. 

“It’s not much better than following you, is it?”

“Not really,” I agreed, my voice sounding strained with laughter. I can almost hear the gossip now. Mary and her goons gathered around, telling stories about the ‘mad tourist’ that wandered the town for hours, pounding on doors in a craze. It’ll be the tale of the century, for sure.

Silence fell between the two of us. It felt weirdly charged, like both of us wanted to keep the conversation going but were afraid of overstepping a boundary. This was the longest conversation I’d had with a stranger in a while, since most of the time I’d just heal their Pokémon and send them on their way. Though labeling Leon as a stranger felt wrong now. I barely knew anything about him, yet I welcomed him into my home and he’d even made me laugh. I wouldn’t call us friends, maybe just a little more than strangers.

“Can I get your number before I go?” Leon asked. I was still deep in my own thoughts, so I didn’t quite process his question, “huh?”

“Just some way for me to contact you, you know, in case of emergency,” he explained quickly. I nodded, “I have a land line phone for emergencies, if you’d like that?”

Leon nodded, “please.”

I excused myself to the living room, looking around for a notepad of some sort. I caught a glimpse of Lucario, now sitting on the couch instead of standing menacingly in the center of the room. He seemed way more relaxed now than he had been when Leon first arrived, so I took that as a good sign. I snatched a Diglet-shaped notepad off of one of my end tables, luckily it had a little permanent marker attached to the side. The top page was an old grocery list, so I ripped that away to reveal a blank page underneath. I scribbled my number onto the paper, signing my name and adding ‘FOR EMERGENCIES ONLY!’

I’d meandered back to the kitchen by the time I finished. Ripping the page off with a flourish, I handed it over to Leon. He looked over the note, mouthing the words ‘for emergencies only’ to himself before breaking into an amused grin. He tucked the paper away into a pocket and then stood from the table. I was instantly reminded of how tall he is and how tiny my kitchen is in the same moment. I backed away instinctively, bumping into the counter in my haste.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to crowd you!” Leon apologized, taking a step back and stumbling over his chair. The commotion alerted Lucario who came rushing to my aid, standing defensively between Leon and I. I appreciate the sentiment, but really all he’s doing is crowding the kitchen.

“I’m okay Lucario,” I assured him, “c’mon, let’s go to the living room.”

Lucario eyed Leon for a moment longer before relenting and stalking out the living room. I offered Leon an apologetic smile but he waved it off, “Charizard can be the same way sometimes.”

“Oh, that was your Charizard I saw earlier?” I asked while leading Leon through the living room, towards the front door. I don’t know why, but I had the urge to drag the conversation out further. A burning curiosity that wanted to know so much more about this strange man.

“Yeah, I raised him from a Charmander. He’s extremely loyal and fiercely protective, so meeting new people is always a bit of a struggle.” Leon explained while tucking his hair back into his hood. I have an empathetic hum, “sounds like Lucario.”

“I wouldn’t trade him for the world though, he’s my best mate,” Leon added, a warm smile gracing his face. It was infectious, and I found myself returning that warmth with a smile of my own, “they’re worth it.”

We stood there for a moment, just looking at each other with dopey smiles on our faces. Leon broke the staring contest, looking away to tug his boots back on, “I really need to get to bed soon.”

A small yawn made its way past my lips as I pulled my blanket cape tighter around myself, “me too. I haven’t stayed up this late in ages.”

“Sorry,” Leon apologized, “I’m a terrible influence.”

I laughed quietly, “no it’s okay, I don’t mind.”

Leon had both his boots on now. I watched as he patted himself down, making sure he had all his belongings before nodding to me, “right, I’m off then. Thank you for talking with me.”

“Anytime,” I answered kindly, “but next time maybe come by while the sun is up, eh?”

Leon chuckled while turning the door knob, “no promises.”

For no explicable reason, that response sent an electric current through me. I must be more tired than I originally thought. I stood in the doorway as Leon took a few steps onto my porch. Recalling our conversation from earlier, I asked a very important question, “do you know how to get back to the lodge from here?”

“No,” Leon answered immediately, “but he does.”

Leon held up a small, spherical object. I immediately recognized it as a pokéball. A beam of red light shot from the ball, materializing into the intimidating figure of Charizard. The fire-type Pokémon sniffed the air for a moment before grumbling and heading south towards the lodge. Leon hopped down from my porch, waving at me as he followed Charizard, “I’ll see you around!”

“Take care! Call me when you get back, okay?” 

That was extremely out of character for me, I was very strict about the emergency phone being used for emergencies only. Leon tripped over his feet when he’d processed what I said, but somehow his smile grew ten times brighter, “I will, promise!”

Charizard growled, urging Leon to wrap it up so that he could get out of the cold. With one final wave, Leon turned and jogged to catch up to his over-sized lizard. I watched them walk away for a moment longer before stepping back into my cabin and shutting the door soundly behind me. I let my head fall against the wooden door with a soft thud. The events of the last twenty four hours all came back to me in a tidal wave of emotion, but I was just way too exhausted to digest it right now. I banged my head against the door one more time to shut those thoughts off. Luckily, it seemed to do the trick.

_**Strange.**_

I huffed a laugh at Lucario’s conclusion. I lifted my head from the door and turned to face my companion, “strange doesn’t even begin to cover it.” 

I shuffled to my couch to wait near the phone, just in case Leon remembered to call. With a heavy sigh, I collapsed into the familiar cushions. I pulled my feet up from the ground, tucking them underneath myself for warmth. Lucario did his usual bedtime patrol around my cabin before returning to his bed. My mind wandered as he settled himself, thinking over my time with Leon and how nothing about him seemed that threatening. He was weird, sure, but I couldn’t see him actually hurting anybody.

But then again, what did I really know about him?

My thoughts chased themselves in circles while I began to doze off on the couch. I had almost fallen asleep when the phone rang. I picked up the phone, “ ‘ello?”

My voice was so thick with sleep that even I barely understood myself. A familiar deep voice came through on the other end, “hey, sorry if I woke you. It’s Leon, I’m back at the lodge now.”

“Good, good. Get some sleep, okay?” I ordered. Leon’s chuckle sounded in my ear, deep and strangely comforting, “you do the same. Goodnight (Y/n), sweet dreams.”

“Goodnight Leon, sweet dreams.”

The line disconnected, but I held the phone to my ear just a bit longer. There was so much I could read into with just that phone conversation alone, but that’s a problem for future me. For now, I’m going to savor burn in my cheeks from smiling so much and the tug in my chest at the way he said my name. I placed the phone back on the hook and stood from the couch, blowing out my candles and locking the front door.

“Goodnight, Lucario.”

My Pokémon partner was already fast asleep. I tip-toed my way to my bedroom, crawling under the covers as soon as I entered the room. As I burrowed under my blankets, there was one thing playing on repeat in my mind. 

_Sweet dreams._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The fact that I literally have five tabs open that are “how to speak like you’re British” asdhfkflah
> 
> Also ignore any typos you may see, I’m gonna come back and correct those when I’m more awake. I just really wanted to post this chapter cus it’s cute. 🥺
> 
> P.S. don’t come for me about how awkward they are around each other rn, they literally met today and are both the most awkward people on the planet lol just trust the process


	4. Dangerous

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> haha word count go brrrrr

_ Mom, _

_ I met a strange man yesterday. _

_ His name is Leon. If you met him, I'm sure you'd pinch his cheeks and call him a "looker." He's tall and well-built, with a pleasant smile and a strong jaw- but his looks aren't the reason I can't get him out of my head. It's the way he acted towards me yesterday. You see, when I first met him, it was like he was playing a character. He was disgustingly confident, and it almost felt like he was expecting me to fall at his feet. It's hard to explain, but Lucario picked up on whatever I was feeling as well. _

_ He warned me that Leon was a threat. _

_ I would've been perfectly happy ignoring Leon for the rest of his stay in Freezington, except that he went out of his way to find my cabin and apologize. Not only for some insensitive comment his brother had made earlier, but for the way he acted. It was like someone had flipped a light switch. He seemed so sincere that I invited him in for tea! Without all the gross bravado, he's honestly enjoyable to be around. _

_ This begs the question; is he really a threat? _

_ ~ _

I tore out the letter and snapped my journal shut before quietly dropping out of the windowsill. With bare feet, I padded across the cold wooden floors of my kitchen, doing my best not to wake Lucario in the other room. I held my breath as I pulled the junk drawer open, praying that the one stray marble wouldn't make a scene about being moved around. I cautiously shuffled the contents of the drawer, moving aside sewing needles, decades-old news clippings, and a pack of hot chocolate. My digging was rewarded with the box of envelopes that I had tucked away in the far back corner. I plucked a single envelope from the box and carefully shut the drawer.

I printed my mom's name in bold, clear letters, not wanting my sloppy handwriting to be the reason she never got any of my messages. Once I was satisfied with the envelope, I slipped the precious cargo inside and licked the strip of adhesive to seal it shut.

With the tangy aftertaste of the glue on my tongue, I tip-toed to my bedroom to get dressed. I was technically scheduled to 'work' today, which really meant that I had a few regular patients scheduled for check-ups. Plus, whenever we had tourists, I was expected to be wearing some sort of uniform that would clearly identify me as a nurse since they hadn't grown up with me as their nurse like the rest of the town. I already had a layer of (f/c) thermal pajamas on, so I just tugged on my clothes over them. My jeans were always a struggle to pull over my curves, but the added challenge of another layer of clothing made me sweat. Eventually, I was fully dressed, throwing on my favorite hoodie and some thick socks for good measure.

Grabbing my backpack from the kitchen table, I made my way to the front door a quietly as possible, taking extra care to avoid the creaky floorboards. I scooped my snow boots from the rack and cautiously pulled my nurse's jacket from the hook. My shoes were balancing precariously in the arm that carried my coat, but I needed a free hand to turn the handle of my front door. In one swift, practiced motion, I turned the handle and flung the door open. I slipped out as quickly as I could, shutting the door immediately behind me.

I stood frozen on the porch for a moment, listening to see if Lucario had woken up. I counted to thirty in my head, just to be sure, but there was no sign of movement from inside of the cabin. With a sigh of relief, I set my shoes down and began putting them on. It's not that I didn't want Lucario with me; I just felt bad for keeping him up so late last night with Leon. I'd be back before he even had a chance to miss me.

I shook my nurse jacket out, grimacing at the tacky design. It was a pink and white bubble jacket with the word 'NURSE' printed on the back in big block letters. It was a gift from my grandpa when I first became the town's nurse at age fourteen. He'd bought it from a faraway city named 'Wyndon,' and he'd made sure to get it four sizes too big so that I'd have room to grow into it. I'm twenty now, and the jacket still goes well past my rear, but at least it kept me warm. I pulled the hood of my sweater over my hair before tugging the coat on so I had something protecting my head from the cold. There were a pair of gloves tucked into the pockets that I graciously put on since the cold morning air was already wreaking havoc on my exposed flesh. I patted my hoodie pocket once to be sure that I still had my letter, slung my bag over my shoulder, and I was off.

The townsfolk were all in a tizzy this morning, most likely because they'd heard the news about the tourists. Families were setting up pop-up storefronts near their homes, lined with baked goods and handmade crafts. Some of the folk who were lucky with their harvest this season were selling off their extras, playing up the 'miracle crops' myth. I say myth because I've been eating these vegetables my whole life, and nothing extraordinary has happened. A carrot is a carrot.

I strut my way through the center of town, making a beeline for the post office like I did every day. I exchanged a few polite 'good mornings,' but otherwise, the people knew to leave me be. It was an unspoken rule, like somehow they all knew who this letter was for and that delaying its delivery with idle conversation would bring my wrath upon them.

I don't know what my wrath would be exactly, but it feels badass to think of myself as some mighty and vengeful god.

The town gossips were also out this morning, all tittering excitedly to each other with nothing better to do. But unfortunately for everyone, they weren't as quiet as they thought they were. I caught most of their conversation in the short amount of time it took me to pass them.

"Did you catch sight of the tourists yet?" Celia asked, her frizzy blonde hair bobbing with each syllable. She was the 'nice' one of the group and the youngest, still being in her late thirties. Married, reserved, always willing to organize a bake sale. Her Spritzee was floating nearby, always as engrossed in the gossip as she was.

"No, but I hear there's a  _ man _ in the group, haven't seen one of them since that prat Peony," came Karen's snide response. She was older than Celia but always tried to hide it with flashy haircuts and gobs of makeup. Karen was a volatile person to be around. She was always trying hard to cover her own insecurities by dragging down others. Her Liepard was at her feet, the intimidation of such a fierce-looking Pokémon being enough for most people to spill their guts.

"And what a  _ delicious  _ crumpet he is," purred the group's unofficial leader, Mary. She was the oldest of the group and the most cunning. Everything about her read 'danger,' from her unnaturally red hair to her long, sharp fingernails. Married four times, divorced thrice, and widowed once- most of the town agrees that she had a hand in her late husband's death, but no one is brave enough to confront her. Mary has dirt on everyone and could ruin your life with the snap of her fingers. Many speculate that the source of her knowledge comes from her Gardevoir's physic abilities, but no one has enough proof to back it up.

"I hear he's mad," Karen conspired, "was out all night banging on folks doors."

Celia gasped, "someone came knocking on our door late last night! Hubby said he chased him off with a broomstick."

The group giggled, an unearthly chorus of honks and snorts that more resembled a pod of beached Wailmer than laughter. Mary held up her hands in a way that silenced the others automatically; they waited with bated breath for whatever juicy detail their leader was about to share.

"The poor soul ended up on my doorstep late last night, shivering from the cold," she illustrated by shivering dramatically and rubbing her arms, "I invited him inside to warm up, but he declined!"

"No!" Celia insisted, "who could ever turn down such an offer?"

"Must be off his rocker," Karen snarked. Mary shook her head, "I'm afraid you're right, my dears. Because the first thing out of his mouth was 'is (Y/n) here?'"

Three sets of eyes snapped to me, but I had already picked up my pace. My eyes were locked on the post office door as I practically dashed for cover. I'd expected the gossip to pick up around Leon's stunt last night, but I hadn't expected to hear my name dragged into it. I'm going to have to watch my actions if I'm already on their radar. It wouldn't be unlike Mary to read too far into something and start a rumor.

The chime that hung above the door dinged cheerily, bringing my mind away from Mary and her gang. No one was at the counter, except for a single Delibird that was stashing a few small packages in its tail. I pulled my bag around to the front of my body, rooting around for a moment before pulling out a ripe oran berry. The Pokémon stopped what it was doing to sniff the air, turning its head towards me eagerly.

I smiled, "Good morning, I brought you some breakfast." I set the berry down on the counter, watching with amusement as it scooped it up in its tiny paws and began devouring the berry. A woman came scurrying from the back room, her face obscured by the stack of boxes she was carrying.

"You're up early today, (Y/n)!"

Even though I couldn't see her face, I knew immediately who that voice belonged to. I dragged my attention to the woman behind the counter, "Good morning to you too, Naomie."

Naomie set the boxes on the counter with a huff, taking a second to fix her hair before responding, "oh, come off it, you know I didn't mean anything by that."

I rolled my eyes, used to her teasing by now. Naomie and I shared a sort of symbiotic relationship; she delivered my mail, and I made sure to always buy one of her hand-painted stamps. Though our interactions were limited, she was the closest thing to a best friend that I had. Naomie knew who these letters were for, and never once did she judge me or pity me. She just did her job, making light conversation with me on the good days and respecting my silence on the bad ones.

People like her are rare.

I handed my letter over to her, selecting a stamp with a prancing Bulbasaur painted on the front. Naomie flashed me a mega-watt smile, "good choice."

She typed something into her ancient desktop computer before handing the parcel to Delibird. The Pokémon took the envelope excitedly, reading over the name and address a few times before squealing happily and stashing the letter in its tail. I used to think that there was no way that the Pokémon could actually read what was written on the paper, but there was a point in time where I used to send two letters. One for my mom and one for my dad. A few months ago, I'd brought the letters to be delivered, and Delibird had read over the names a couple times before rejecting the one for my dad. I was so confused, but Naomie said that Delibird would only refuse a letter if it didn't know where the person was or if they were deceased.

I stopped writing letters to my dad after that.

I was about to say my goodbyes and head home when Naomie spoke up, "did you get to meet the tourists yet?"

I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes. Instead, I nodded politely, "I did. Papa sent me to be the welcome party, actually."

"I'm so jealous of you," she pouted, "you've got to give me all the details! Is he as cute as Mary swears?"

I was a bit flustered by her insistence. I've never 'gossiped' before, so I didn't really know what qualified as 'details.' Part of me was confused because my brain couldn't piece together who 'he' was right away.

"Are you talking about Leon?" I asked cautiously. Naomie nodded excitedly, a few of her curls coming loose and dangling in her face. She should really invest in better hair ties.

"He's okay looking, I suppose," I responded meekly, "if you're into tall guys."

Naomie laughed, "you tellin' me that's all you noticed? I need more than that! What color are his eyes, ay?"

I took a moment to think, remembering our late-night conversation and the way his eyes softened when I told him to call me. "They're golden, kind of like a pot of honey," I answered. A chaotic grin spread across my friend's face, "so romantic."

A blush heated my face, "I-I didn't know how else to describe them to you!"

Naomie giggled at me again, "you could've just said gold like the color; I woulda got the picture." 

"Well, you're the one who asked for details," I defended, though I couldn't stay mad when I caught a glimpse of the mirth dancing in her warm chocolate eyes. If I was honest, this was kind of fun. It was different from the sort of conversations we usually had. Still, her cheer was infectious, and I decided to play along, "I guess you don't want to know about his thick, luscious hair that flows majestically in the breeze?"

That earned me a snort out of the other girl, and she quickly covered her nose in embarrassment, red tinting the dark skin of her cheeks. Now it was my turn to laugh, mostly out of astonishment, "I didn't know you snorted. That's so cute!"

"You gotta swear not to tell anybody!" She begged. I smirked mischievously, "I'll think about it."

Naomie opened her mouth to respond but was cut off by the sound of the door chime. I glanced quickly over my shoulder and had to hold back a groan. Standing in the doorway was one of my regular patients, the type that always thought he was dying.

"There you are (Y/n)," he declared through a stuffy nose, "I was waiting at your cabin for  _ hours _ until someone told me they'd seen you over here."

"I'll be with you in just a second," I assured before turning back to face Naomie, "I've got to go. We'll talk later?"

"Yeah, later," she agreed, a brilliant smile now replacing her playful pout. I turned away from the counter, hiking my bag higher on my shoulder before heading towards my patient.

"So, tell me what seems to be bothering you today?"

" _ Everything." _

I nodded along as I listened to him list his symptoms, feeling lighter than I've felt in years.

~

The snow crunched loudly underneath my boots as Lucario and I made our way around the outskirts of town. I'd just finished vaccinating the Jameson family's new Growlithe puppy, an ordeal which left the ends of my hair singed and crispy. Next was a standard check-up with Mr. Smith, and after that, I could finally take my lunch break. My stomach rumbled with excitement as I daydreamed about the leftover curry I had in the fridge.

I'd been completely zoned out when I caught a flash of movement out of the corner of my eye, causing me to stop and snap my head in that direction. Whatever it was, it was big. I scanned the tree line for a moment, waiting for some sort of Pokemon cry that would give away the culprit. The seconds ticked by, and nothing happened.

I looked over my shoulder to Lucario, only to see him standing completely rigid with his eyes locked on the same patch of brush that I'd been watching. Before I could even open my mouth to ask if he'd seen anything, Lucario was sprinting towards the tree line. A gasp of surprise left my mouth before I immediately followed after him, my brain lagging behind my body as we ran towards the possible threat. As we drew closer, I felt a weird surge of energy pass over my body. The air was polluted with some sort of frequency that caused my ears to ring. My steps faltered, bringing me to a clumsy stop.

** Crrraooooowwwn. **

"What the hell?" I muttered, holding my hands over my ears in an attempt to block out the noise. But as quickly as it came, it was gone. With the ringing gone, I could distinctly hear voices coming from behind the bushes.

"What was that? Where'd it go?"

I recognized that voice! I continued forward, through the foliage and into a small clearing. Hop and Gloria were standing in the center, their complexions pale like they'd just seen a ghost. I looked between the two teenagers, "so you heard it too?"

"Ye-!" Hop started, but Gloria nudged him in the ribs with her elbow. She looked up at me, sweetly, "hear what? Heard nothing here. We were just on a walk, but we are absolutely shattered. Right, Hop?"

Hop's expression morphed from confusion to an overly animated face of understanding, his mouth opening in a silent  _ 'ohhh!'  _ to top it off. He nodded eagerly, "oh yeah, I could murder a sandwich right about now."

**_ Lies. _ **

Lucario's assessment only confirmed what I'd been thinking. Their dodgy behavior was confusing because I saw the look on their faces when I'd first entered the clearing. I'm absolutely sure that I'd heard the ringing, and I know it was real because even Lucario seemed to be affected by it. Before I could argue with them, Gloria had grabbed hold of Hop's hand and began towing him away. She flashed me a smile, "This has been a fun little chin-wag, but we really should be going. Lovely seeing you again (Y/n), bye!"

They scurried out of the clearing before my mind could even process what I'd just witnessed. I blinked dumbly, shaking my head and looking to Lucario, who had relaxed only the slightest to watch Hop and Gloria retreat. It was so silent in the clearing that I could still hear their footsteps, and more importantly, their conversation.

"What was that about, Gloria?"

"We don't know what we're up against yet. I don't want to drag her into it."

I couldn't help but feel miffed by that. Who do these kids think they are, deciding what I can and can't handle? I was the one who actually lived here; if there were some sort of dangerous Pokémon lurking around, I'd like to know about it. I chewed on my lip as I looked around the clearing, hoping to catch a glimpse of whatever it was that I heard earlier. I gave up with a huff, turning around to make my way back towards the path I'd been taking to Mr. Smith's house.

Maybe it would be a good idea to look into Lucario's move set, just if I needed to defend myself. I kicked a rock from the path as I tried to recall where I'd set my book about fighting Pokémon.

You can call me mad, but I swear to Arceus, I felt a set of eyes on me as I walked away.

~

By the time I finished my runs, the town center's energy had reached a fever pitch. It was early in the evening, and a few townsfolk had taken it upon themselves to start a large bonfire in the town square. Children were chasing after their Pokémon with squeals of delight as their parents talked around the fire. Couples walked hand-in-hand down the row of makeshift storefronts, browsing all the goods they had to offer. The joy in the air was palpable, flooding in through my nostrils and settling like honey on my tongue. I haven't seen anything like this since I was a child, and the adults would throw together a festival to celebrate their bountiful harvest.

Obviously, as the harvest grew less bountiful, the festivals grew less frequent.

I returned Lucario to his Pokéball, something I only did in a situation like this where I didn't want him to get lost. I walked through the crowd in a daze, swearing to myself that I didn't remember this many people living here. It was like the warmth of the celebration was too inviting to resist, drawing even the most introverted residents from their homes.

"(Y/n)! Over here!"

The sound of my name pulled me from my daze, drawing my attention to Naomie. She was standing near the fire, waving one hand towards me while the other held her thermos of hot chocolate. I weaved my way through the throngs of people with a look of disbelief.

"What's this about?" I asked when I was within earshot. Naomie laughed incredulously at me, "I can't believe you haven't heard yet. Apparently, one of the tourists is actually the current Galar Champion! Can you believe it?"

"Oh, you mean Gloria? Yeah, her friend Hop told me all about it yesterday," I responded nonchalantly. It was actually a little humorous that the town was celebrating that, especially since half of them probably didn't even know what that title meant. But I wasn't going to be the one to rain on their parade, not when they were this happy.

Naomie flicked my shoulder, scoffing at my indifference, "how come you didn't tell me you met the Champion?!"

"You didn't ask," I answered simply. After that, we fell into easy conversation, sharing whatever stories came to mind and laughing whenever one of the kids tripped over their own feet. Did it make us bad people? Probably. But the nurse was off-duty for the night.

"I'd snog him," Naomie whispered, nodding her head towards one of the younger guys that were hanging around. He was of average height and sort of lanky, and he always kept his black hair neatly styled. I'm pretty sure his name is Westley; I think I've given him cold medicine before. He was nice enough from what I could remember, but he could've just been polite since I'm a nurse.

"He seems nice," I answered, "but what color are his eyes?"

Naomie sighed wistfully, "green like a warm cup of matcha."

"So romantic," I teased, throwing her earlier words back at her. Naomie bumped her shoulder against mine, "at least I'm not ashamed to admit my crush."

"Can't be ashamed if I don't have a crush," I shot back defensively. Naomie rolled her eyes and held her thermos out to me, "here, I think you need a sip of this."

"What's hot chocolate going to do?" I questioned, taking the thermos and eagerly bringing it to my lips. I tilted the liquid into my mouth, fully ready for the creamy chocolatey deliciousness to flood my tongue. To my pleasant surprise, Naomie had added an extra touch of peppermint to her drink. I swallowed my sip, reveling in the warm feeling that was now radiating from my stomach. Actually, it was maybe a little too warm.

"This is really good. What do you put in it?" I asked while tilting the thermos back for another sip. Naomie was watching me with an amused expression, "hot chocolate, a heavy serving of Peppermint Schnapps, and a dash of chocolate liqueur."

I swallowed heavily, realizing why the hot chocolate had made me feel more tingly than usual. I nodded my head, tapping the side of the thermos casually, "well, I'm glad my first drink was so tasty."

Naomie was speechless for a moment before that chaotic grin from earlier spread across her face, "did I seriously just take your virginity?"

"You can't just say that!" I shrieked, my face a shocking shade of crimson from both my embarrassment and the effects of the alcohol. Naomie was giddy with laughter, wheezing about the expression on my face. I did my best to ignore her by taking another sip from the thermos. It really was quite tasty; I could hardly taste the alcohol. Though I don't think I'm really qualified to gauge such a thing since this is my first drink, after all.

Eventually, Naomie calmed down, even though a few giggles still worked their way past her lips. She'd taken her thermos back and was nursing her beverage with a cute dusting of pink over her cheeks. A small band had gathered near the fire, seizing their opportunity to play for a large group of people. Naomie began swaying to the beat while I people-watched, the two of us falling into a comfortable silence. Maybe it was just a side effect of the alcohol, but I couldn't wipe the smile from my face. At this moment, I didn't feel so alone.

My eyes eventually landed on a trio of familiar faces that were taking their time purchasing at least one thing from every single booth. The sellers thanked Gloria profusely, some almost moved to tears by her generosity. Sometimes she would be at a complete loss for words like she wasn't used to this sort of treatment, but luckily Hop and Leon were there to save the day. They'd just purchased a few pastries from Celia's bake sale when Leon spotted me, giving me a friendly wave from across the fire. He was maybe a good fifteen meters away from me, but even from this distance, I could see the way the flames danced in his eyes. His hair was down today, falling over his shoulders in smooth purple waves. I wondered to myself if that was a by-product of the braids he'd had in his hair last night. Leon flashed me a brilliant grin, and I felt a foreign pull in my gut like someone had just released a swarm of Butterfree in my stomach.

I waved back with a timid smile, but the motion had caught an incredibly nosey drunk's attention. Naomie followed the direction of my wave to where Leon was chatting with Hop and Gloria. She grabbed my arm and stage-whispered, "is that Mr. Honeypot?"

I clamped my hand over her mouth, "shhh, do you have to be so bloody loud?"

Naomie licked my hand, and I dropped with a groan of disgust. She turned to get a better look at Leon while I was busy wiping her spit from my hand. I risked a glance in Leon's direction, seeing that he was now watching us with a look of utter confusion.

"Naomie!" I hissed, averting my eyes quickly. She giggled, "he's cute (Y/n)...looks like he's coming this way." Panic coursed through my veins as I tried to think of a way to tame the redness in my cheeks. It felt like my brain was submerged in a layer of molasses as my inebriated mind hatched a plan. If my cheeks are hot, then obviously I need to cool them down. Quickly, I scooped a handful of snow off the ground and held it against my cheeks, cringing at the stark contrast in temperature. As the snow melted, the icy water trickled down my cheeks like tears. I hastily wiped at the liquid with the back of my hand, clearing away the evidence just in time for Leon to appear.

"Hey! I was hoping I'd run into you again," he greeted me before turning to Naomie, "I don't think we've met before, though. I'm Leon."

"Naomie," she introduced herself with a cheeky smile, "I'm a close friend of (Y/n)'s. It's so nice to finally meet you. I've heard lots about you!"

Leon gave an overly charming smile, "all good things, I hope?"

"Depends on who you ask," Naomie answered. I knew immediately who she was referring to since Mary just couldn't believe that a man would turn her down and happened to have one of the loudest mouths on the planet. Leon deflated, rubbing at the back of his neck awkwardly, "ah, yeah. That Mary woman is quite the story-teller. I said maybe five words to her, and she's spun this whole narrative around me."

"She's always like that, really," I scoffed, "when you told me you'd knocked on every door in Freezington, I knew Mary would find a way to make it about her."

Leon sighed and shifted his weight to the other leg, "Hop told me what he'd heard her squawking about with her gang. I was so grossed out that I stayed in most of the day."

I felt my blood boil at that. How vile can you be to objectify someone so publicly that they rather stay inside?

"I'm so sorry you had to feel that way," I apologized on the town's behalf. I hoped that my sincerity came through despite the rage I felt towards Mary. I'd love nothing more than to lay into her in front of the whole town. Leon shrugged it off, plastering a smile to his face, "it's alright. It's not anything I haven't heard already."

He tried to play it off like a joke, but there was a noticeable tightness to his features now. I wanted to pry, but something about his tone let me know that now was not the time. Luckily, Naomie has impeccable timing and changed the subject, "well, I don't know about you lot, but I could use another drink. You want anything?"

I shook my head, "I'm alright for now, thanks."

She gestured towards Leon, and he declined as well. Naomie disappeared with a hasty, "Be right back," thrown over her shoulder.

"She seems nice," Leon commented with a mischievous smirk. I shrugged my shoulders, playfully, "she has her moments."

Our conversation paused for a moment when the band played the last note of a rather rowdy tune, drawing a chorus of cheers from the crowd. Most of the children from earlier have been rounded up by their parents to get ready for bedtime, leaving behind a group of rambunctious adults calling for encores. With the way some of them were swaying on their feet, I wouldn't be surprised if alcohol was involved.

With the crowd's size cut in half, there were quite a few empty seats around the fire. I use the term 'seat' loosely, though, because in reality, someone had just brought a few tree logs over and placed them around the ground haphazardly. I nudged Leon with my elbow to get his attention, "do you mind if we sit? I've been on my feet all day."

Leon jumped slightly when I nudged him but relaxed when he saw it was just me. "Sorry," he apologized quickly, "yeah, we can sit."

A part of me wanted to ask if he was okay, but maybe I'd really just startled him. I tucked my curiosity away and led him towards the nearest empty log. I dropped my bag to the ground and sat heavily on the wood, sighing blissfully once I got to take some of the pressure off my feet. Leon chuckled as he made himself comfortable next to me, "long day, eh?"

"Definitely," I sighed before lazily sliding my eyes towards the man, "but I don't want to talk about work."

Leon smiled, raising an intrigued eyebrow at me, "what do you want to talk about then?"

"You," I answered bluntly. My subconscious was screaming at me for being so upfront, but the lingering effects of the alcohol had made my tongue loose. Plus, I couldn't deny the fact that I really did want to know more about him. I have no idea how long he'll be in town for, so I might as well make the most of it. Leon seemed to like my answer, though, because his face broke out into a confident grin, "I'm an open book, love. Ask away."

A tiny voice in the back of my head protested that, recalling the way Lucario labeled him as a threat. If he was so open, then what did Lucario have to fear? Of course, I couldn't very well ask that, so I had to pick something easy to start with. "Where are you from?"

"A little village called Postwick, it's honestly not too far from here. I think," Leon answered easily, shrugging his shoulders carelessly. I scrunched my brow in confusion, "what d'ya mean, 'you think'?"

Leon shrugged, "I'm not very good with my directions, mate. Couldn't tell you which way was North if it bit me on the arse."

A laugh bubbled out of my throat before I could stop it. I held my hand over my mouth, self-consciously, and mumbled out an apology, "I'm sorry, I don't mean to laugh at you."

"It's too late," Leon wheezed, clutching his chest like he was on his death bed, "you've fatally wounded me."

I rolled my eyes, "whatever you say, drama queen."

"What about you?" Leon prompted, dropping his act to turn the question back on me. I shook my head sadly, "I was born and raised here. I've never been outside of Freezington."

"I don't know how you do it," Leon responded, shaking his head, "I would've gone crazy if I stayed in Postwick all my life."

I shrugged, "I just don't have the time to go anywhere else."

It was quiet as Leon considered my answer for a moment, "where would you go if you had the chance?"

"I want to see Wyndon one day," I answered wistfully, turning my gaze away from Leon in favor of watching the flames lick at the inky night sky. "My Grandpa used to tell me these crazy stories about monorails and Pokémon that could grow taller than the stadium walls. I mean, what kid wouldn't want to see that?"

"Do you want to hear something crazy?" Leon asked. I turned my attention back towards him, a burning curiosity coloring my features. He gave me a tender smile before speaking, "I live in Wyndon now, actually. I moved there for work a few years ago."

My eyes widened with childlike wonder, "have you seen the giant Pokémon then?"

Leon nodded, "more than a few times, yeah."

"What's it like?" I prodded, my previous interrogation questions moved to the back burner at the mention of one of my earliest childhood fantasies. Leon shook his head, "I don't think I could do it justice. It's almost indescribable. It's called dynamaxing; it's a technique Pokémon trainers utilize in battle to give their Pokémon a crazy boost in power."

In all my years of studying Pokémon, I'd never heard anything about 'dynamaxing.' I absolutely had to know more, "have you done it?"

"Dynamaxing?" Leon asked for clarification. I nodded my head eagerly, and an enthusiastic grin spread across his face. "Yeah, I have."

"What's it like?" I asked innocently. Leon's features lit up like a wildfire, his eyes shining with the joy of the memories he recalled, "absolutely euphoric. There's a high you get when you're standing on that pitch with your Pokémon towering above you. The crowd is absolutely deafening around you, but you can't hear it. All you can focus on is the raw power standing behind you, waiting for your command to unleash it. Those tense moments of silence before you call an attack are so raw and overwhelming, but I am utterly addicted to that high. I don't think I could ever stop."

The emotions in his voice were so exposed and powerful that I could almost feel the high he was talking about. I was utterly entranced by his eyes, watching the way they seemed to burn brighter with every sentence. My heart thrummed loudly in my chest as his words grew more passionate, and I realized something. The man talking right now was the real Leon. None of the other silly questions I'd had in mind would've gotten me even close to the truth. He was fiercely competitive, stunningly confident, and intensely spirited. There was also something lurking just beneath the surface, hidden in the shadows of the flames. Something that sent chills down my spine. Something...dangerous.

Leon had finished his impassioned explanation now, but I could tell that neither of us felt compelled to speak at the moment. I was watching him, and he was watching me. It was almost like we were seeing each other for the first time, taking in as much as we could about the other person before the spell was broken and the masks came back.

"Oh! Sorry, am I interrupting somethin'?"

The voice startled me out of my trance, causing me to nearly topple off the log. Naomie was back, again showcasing her  _ impeccable _ timing. I still couldn't speak right away, but Leon recovered quicker than I had. He stood from the makeshift bench and dusted his pants off, "no, it's alright, I need to go find the kids anyway. It's been too long since I've seen them. I hate to imagine what sort of trouble they might stir up."

"Trust me, I have a younger sister. I know exactly what you mean," Naomie sympathized, toasting her thermos to him before taking a sip. I looked up to Leon from my seat on the bench, "it was nice talking with you."

Leon smiled warmly, "I couldn't agree more," he hesitated for a second before adding, "call me when you get home?"

Naomie spat out her drink, covering it up like it had just gone down the wrong pipe. I ignored her by digging through my nurse bag, pulling out a scrap piece of paper and a pen. I held them out to Leon expectantly, "I will if you give me your number?"

He shook his head as he accepted my offering, "I forgot you don't have a rotomphone. Who even uses landlines anymore?"

Naomie and I raised our hands smartly, giggling with each other when Leon scoffed at us. He handed me the paper back, and I read over the digits eagerly.

_ Leon _

_ +xxxxx xxxxxx _

_ For emergencies  ONLY! _

I huffed a laugh, shaking my head as I read the last line. I brought my gaze back to Leon, prepared to make some sort of snarky comment, but it never came. Leon winked at me so fast that I wasn't even sure that it happened. My brain short-circuited as I tried to process the tidal wave of emotions that one simple action had dumped on me.

I'd lived a relatively sheltered life growing up. Never snuck out, never drank alcohol, never had a boyfriend. All the boys my age were too scared to approach me because I was the mayor's granddaughter. No one ever flirted with me before, and now that someone might be, my brain was shutting down. Real smooth, (Y/n).

But was that even flirting? What counts as flirting? He'd made my heart stutter and caused blood to rush to my face a few times, but those could be explained as simple anatomical reactions. Right?

"I'll catch you lot later, yeah?" Leon dismissed, waving cheerily as he walked away. Naomie returned his wave with just as much vigor while I barely lifted my hand high enough to be counted as a wave. Naomie shuffled over to the log, carefully sitting down where Leon had been just moments ago.

"Can I have that?" I asked, motioning for her thermos. She handed it to me without question, and I took a few large swigs off it. Naomie waited patiently for me to swallow before she began her interrogation, "so, what was all that about? Looked like you were bout ready to jump his bones when I came up."

"I haven't got the faintest idea," I muttered, staring blankly at the now dying fire. I think Naomie could sense that I wasn't in a position to talk at the moment, so she didn't push the issue. Instead, she sat quietly with me on the log, passing the thermos back and forth while the rest of the town began to turn in around us.

"Naomie?"

"Yeah?"

"Men are bloody confusing."

~

I'd dragged myself home an hour later, bidding Naomie a goodnight before locking my door behind me. I stumbled as I kicked my boots off my feet, having ingested way more alcohol than my body was used to in the last hour. On wobbly legs, I dug Lucario's Pokéball from my jacket pocket before I shrugging it off and letting it fall in a heap on the floor.

"Come on out, buddy," I called. There was a sudden flash of red light that materialized into my companion. He came right up to me, sniffing at my clothes and checking me over for any obvious signs of injury. I weakly pushed him away, "I'm okay, Lucario, promise. Just a little drunk."

Lucario didn't seem to buy it, but I didn't care. I had a promise to fulfill. I stumbled my way into the living room, pulling the folded piece of scrap paper from my hoodie pocket. Tucking the phone into the crook of my neck, I dialed the number scribbled on the page, hoping my clumsy fingers wouldn't lead me to accidentally call some random person at this hour.

The phone rang twice before I heard a click. There was the sound of shuffling fabric on the other side before a groggy voice answered, "hello?"

"Hey Leon, it's (Y/n). Sorry if I woke you," I apologized softly. There was more shuffling on the other side before Leon responded, "no, it's okay. Did you make it home alright?"

"I did, yeah," I answered quietly while twirling the phone cord around my index finger. "No emergencies to report this time."

Leon chuckled sleepily, a deep and throaty sound that I immediately wanted to hear again, "good. Keep it that way."

"I'll let you get some rest," I murmured, "sweet dreams, Leon."

"Sweet dreams, (Y/n)."

The line stayed active for a few seconds longer, like both of us were waiting for the other to hang up. I would've stood there all night to see if he'd hang up first, but I was way too tired for that tonight. Reluctantly, I set the phone on the hook.

I need to get some sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ask ✍🏽 him ✍🏽 about ✍🏽 dynamaxing ✍🏽

**Author's Note:**

> MC is ~angsty~
> 
> come scream at me on twitter! @lawpet


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